Bath must cope without Catt

Mike Catt, the England stand-off, will again be ruled out by injury when the champions, Bath, resume their Courage league campaign against Saracens at the Recreation Ground on Saturday, weather permitting.

Catt's international colleague Adedayo Adebayo begins his comeback, however, after completing the mandatory three week lay-off because of concussion.

The wing Adebayo, capped against Italy last month, was deemed unfit for Argentina's visit to Twickenham following a clash of heads with the Harlequins full-back, Jim Staples, seven days earlier. He will play in the Bath second team at Saracens, but Catt's chest problem still has not cleared up, so Richard Butland will deputise.

The Argentinian import Federico Mendez spent Christmas in South America, but is back at hooker, packing down with Dave Hilton and Victor Ubogu.

With the US Eagles captain, Dan Lyle, on tour duties, Nigel Redman resumes his second- row partnership with Martin Haag, and the Scottish international Eric Peters returns at open-side flanker.

The England captain, Phil de Glanville, and Jeremy Guscott form the midfield combination, while Jon Sleightholme and Jason Robinson complete an impressive threequarters unit.

Toulouse, the European champions, are worried about the fitness of the French internationals Emile Ntamack and Thomas Castaignede for Saturday's Heineken Cup semi-final at Leicester. The wing Ntamack, who captained Toulouse to victory over Cardiff in last season's final, is troubled by a pelvic injury. He has not played since the quarter-final success in Dax more than six weeks ago, while the centre Castaignede is struggling with rib problems.

Hard-up Neath are claiming last Saturday's postponement of their home National League match against Llanelli cost them around pounds 15,000.

The match was finally called off 30 minutes before the scheduled 2.30 kick-off because both sets of players refused to play on the frosty pitch, although both club committees appeared to favour the match being started.

The referee, Peter Bolland of Newport, himself a former top-class centre, had no alternative other than to call the match off as spectators poured into the ground.